NAMT to Launch New National Fund for New Musicals Program

At their 20th Annual Festival of New Musicals today, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced the launch of the National Fund for New Musicals, a new program which will provide grants to support producers and writers during the process of creating, developing, and producing new musicals.

NAMT has already raised $100,000 for the National Fund for New Musicals, and will continue to grow the fund. The Founding Supporters of the National Fund for New Musicals are Stacey Mindich, The Shen Family Foundation, The Mackintosh Foundation, Dallas Summer Musicals, Theatre Under The Stars, Broadway Across America, Charlie Fink, Dominic Chianese, and the Lake Company Inc.

The fund will award grants once a year, and in the first year, up to $33,000 will be awarded to not-for-profit NAMT member theatres in the following three categories:

1). Early Collaboration Grant – To support a writer residency at a theatre with the goal of creating a draft and a few songs of a new musical.  Awards will be up to $3,000.

2)  Project Development Grant – To support a workshop or reading of a new musical.  Awards will be up to $6,000.

3)  Production Grant – To support a full production at one theatre or multiple productions among several theatres.  Awards will be up between $10,000 and $20,000.

NAMT Executive Director Kathy Evans said, "We are thrilled to launch this very exciting initiative, which we believe could have a major impact on the field.  In the past, musical theatre writers have sometimes seen their musicals follow an unpredictable path over many years of isolated readings, without a clear destination of a full production. And for theatres, the development and production of new musicals is an expensive and risky undertaking.  I believe that the National Fund for New Musicals will help more musicals flourish by supporting small, mid-sized, and large theatres in their collaboration with each other and with writers, and by helping to keep a forward momentum for a new musical's journey toward a full production"

The granting program was created in consultation with Gigi Bolt, who was previously the Director of Theater and Musical Theater at the National Endowment for the Arts for over ten years.  Ms. Bolt will work with NAMT to administer the panel review process for the first year's applications.

The application process and timeline will be announced on NAMT's web site in November.  Applications may be submitted only from not-for profit members of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre.  NAMT plans to announce its first group of grant recipients in April 2009. 

 The National Alliance for Musical Theatre is very grateful to the following individuals, foundations and government agencies for providing major support towards the mission to nurture the creation and production of new musicals: The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, Jamie DeRoy & friends, Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation, The Mackintosh Foundation, Stacey Mindich, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation, The Shen Family Foundation and The Shubert Foundation. The Festival of New Musicals is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, and by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.  

NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE (NAMT)
Founded in 1985 and based in New York City, The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to musical theatre.  NAMT has presented its annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS since 1989.  The Festival brings together leading theatre producers and writers, with the goal of furthering the development and production of new musicals. NAMT membership includes not-for-profit and commercial theatres, developmental organizations, universities, and independent producers.  Located throughout 33 states and 6 countries, the 150 member organizations share a commitment to nurture the creation, production, and recognition of new musicals and classics.  For more information, visit www.namt.org.

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